JULIA & MICHAEL HONEYMOON

4 countries, 3 weeks, 2 people, and 1 ambition – to spend our dream honeymoon on a budget.

Ever since we met, we always wanted to travel (preferably on a budget). When we got engaged in 2016, we decided after we got married that we would go on our dream honeymoon without going bankrupt! Planning takes time, so we set our timer for 2 years.

First, we needed to decide where we wanted to go. I know, when you hear someone saying ‘my dream honeymoon,’ you think they have a specific destination in mind. But not us. In all of our travels, we were never guided by the destination. Rather, we were guided by how good of a deal we could get. So, we set out to find the best deal that would fit our budget (and let’s just say two people right out of school didn’t have a big budget! We did however had a big ambition - to push our limits!).

After searching the web for awhile, a plan started to emerge. We could visit 4 countries (Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, and Fiji). The first part of this trip (Australia) many of are friends are aware of but part two (New Zealand) was a surprise for Julia so we had kept it a secret outside of immediate family! Our goal was to stay at luxury resorts for 3 weeks with almost guaranteed room upgrades. To do that, all’s we needed to do is to take time off work (for which we would like to give a shout out to our employers who graciously allowed us to make our dream a reality!) and book some flights and hotels stays. But wait, aren’t flights and hotel stays expensive, especially when going that far and for that long?

The answer is not really, if you plan carefully! Between visiting credit card conferences, reading credit card blogs, and talking to some full-time avid travelers we knew it was possible. So, we went ahead and started our credit card frenzy. We signed up for credit cards that offered benefits and bonus miles or points that matched our destinations needs. Specific airline programs that we utilized on our honeymoon included Delta Airlines, Qantas Airways, New Zealand Air, Fiji Airways, Alaskan Airlines, and American Airlines. Specific hotel programs we used included IHG, Hilton, and SPG. Along with these hotels we utilized Airbnb and friends for additional stays.

In total, we used over 635,000 points across different programs to cut down on the cost of our travel. These points allowed for us to reduce out of pocket costs for flights and lodging. The retail price of our honeymoon would have been over $8,000, which we were able to reduce down to $1,250 for 19 night stays and 9 flights totaling just shy of 25,000 miles by air, 24,666 miles to be exact. The equator is 24,901 miles so we were just short in airline travel from going “around the world” but if you throw in our car travels on our honeymoon we think we made it. So by utilizing research and making bookings using award travel we saved almost $7,000 on our honeymoon (netting just over 1 cent per point in value for our reward redemption's)! Also keep in mind these numbers do not reflect our car rentals, public transportation costs, food, or experiences. For those we thank our many awesome friends and family who helped donate towards our Honeyfund!

By sharing our experience, we hope to inspire other couples just like us to dream and do big, because life is about making memories.

If you want to learn more about our day to day travels and experience from our honeymoon head over to the following page for photos and descriptions of our top 5, lessons learned, and tips for each location!

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

June 13th-June 15th, 2018

Lodging:

Intercontinental Sydney – Amazing hotel right in the heart of Sydney, easy to walk to the Opera House, Parks, Circular Quay Rail Station, and the Harbor Bridge

SYDNEY

Day 1

It was quite a journey to get here. We spent over 17 hours on a plane from Detroit and travelled into the future losing a whole day on the way over. After 5 or so movies your eyes need a break and your legs need some stretching! Upon landing, we knew our best bet was to hit the town running and by running we mean sitting on a Hop on Hop off Bus Hop on Hop off Bus! It was a great way to see the city for a reasonable price. Along the way we saw the famous Sydney Opera House, World Class Aquarium, Wild Life Park, Bondi Beach, Darling Harbor and the Harbor Bridge. We topped the night off with an exclusive violinist concert of Tchaikovsky backed by the beautifully sounding Sydney Orchestra and the Sydney Opera House. Sadly, the jetlag took a toll on us after the intermission as we knew it was time to call it a night.

SYDNEY

Day 2

We walked around the city, went up in the Sydney Tower, took a fairy to Manly, where we had an awesome seafood dinner at the exclusive Manly Beach Sailing Club (they allowed us in because our family members are part of Maumee River Yacht Club in Toledo, Ohio!).

SYDNEY/CAIRNS

Day 3

We wanted to climb the Bay Harbor Bridge as recommended by some friends. As we were getting ready to book tickets, I decided to check in for our 7:30 pm flight to Cairns only to find out our flight had been changed to 1 pm. So, we quickly packed and left for the airport onto Cairns to explore the small tropical towns nightlife!

SYDNEY

TOP 5, LESSONS LEARNED, TIPS, AND GALLERY

Top 5

Sydney WildLife Park-where we had an opportunity to interact with Koalas and meet all the unique creatures of Australia
Spending time with our cousin and getting to see how different yet the same life Down Under can be.
Sydney Opera House-As amazing as you would expect both inside and out
Random Thai restraint in downtown (this will be reoccurring…)
The Sydney Winter Light Show- where the entire downtown was lit up every night!

Lessons Learned and Tips

Bring a jacket in June as that is the middle of their winter (this will also be reoccurring…)
Take the public ferry to Manly as it is way cheaper than a day cruise
Check your flight status as times can change and may also be different than what you expected due to time zones.
This is a city where public transportation is amazing and easy to use don’t rent a car if your just staying in town.
Always carry your student ID, Military ID, AAA cards or ask if they have any discounts as we found this beneficial to getting cheaper options for many places.

CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA

June 15th-June 18th, 2018

Lodging

Holiday Inn Cairns – Great View of the beach, awesome service, easy to walk to, and great breakfast!

CAIRNS

Day 1

It was refreshing to immerse ourselves into a warmer climate after visiting cold Sydney. That day we checked into our hotel with an awesome ocean view (where we were treated to a bottle of sparkling wine in celebration of our marriage) and headed down to the city boardwalk to stroll through the parks and areas along the coast.

CAIRNS

Day 2

We set up early with an all-inclusive package to go into the Australian rainforest which included a SkyRail Cableway trip above the tree tops, a crocodile river cruise, and a scenic Kruanda Railway ride back. The whole journey was breathtaking and was a great way to head into the wilderness of northern Australia by air, foot, boat, and train. Among coming back our drive recommended the Cock & Bull restaurant for authentic Australian food. As the two of us had been trying a Pescatarian diet we were a little timid at first, but the unique experience persuaded us. So, we shared a plate of Kangaroo and Crocodile. To me the two taste very similar to steak and chicken, but when in Australia…

CAIRNS

Day 3

This was the big day we had been waiting for going out on a boat to the Great Barrier Reef, as this was our main goal visiting Cairns. We took a day tour planning to just snorkel. But, upon arriving at the docks, Julia talked me into Suba Diving. I had never done Scooba before but arriving on the Great Barrier Reef I could not pass up the chance. So, we set sail and on the (1-2 hours) way out I got seasick but arriving at the platform at the Great Barrier Reef and grabbing a Ginger Ale seemed to settle me down. We set off on our scuba adventure, helmet diving, snorkeling, and submarine exploration of the reef seeing amazing fish and coral reefs. It was an awesome experience one that I would highly recommend.

CAIRNS/AUCKLAND

Day 4

After saying goodbye to Cairns, the rain forest, and Great Barrier Reef as we head to our next destination New Zealand!

CAIRNS

TOP 5, LESSONS LEARNED, TIPS, AND GALLERY

Top 5

Scuba Diving/Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef-although we recommend learning Scuba Diving beforehand
The SkyRail- great above the jungle views
Jungle Crocodile Cruise-awesome Drive/Commentator and views of river crocs
Scenic Kuranda Railroad-Great peaceful way to wind back to Cairns from the rainforest
Exploring the amazing coastal walkways and shopping in Cairns-awesome boardwalk, many restaurants, and shopping options.

Lessons Learned and Tips

Keep in mind the beach is not swimmable for the most part, but there is a local public pool on the boardwalk, and check with your hotel.
When booking day excursions (Great Barrier Reef or the Rainforest) most options provide hotel pick up and drop off.
When shopping for touristy souvenirs there are plenty of shops with similar items so shop around and don’t be afraid to negotiate a price down or ask for bulk discounts.
Check the distance from your hotel to the main downtown Cairns (Nightlife area) as some hotels require a longer walk on the boardwalk area which may be a plus or minus depending on your walking needs.
Bring nausea/sea sick medicine out to the reef as I learned the hard way the water can be choppy on the journey.

AUCKLAND/WHANGAREI,

NEW ZEALAND

June 18th-June 20th, 2018

Lodging

Holiday Inn Auckland Airport – Large hotel with unique rooms and easy to access from the airport!

AirBnB Host’s – In Whangarei, amazing people, amazing house, and well worth the drive north.

AUCKLAND

Day 1

We arrived around midnight at the Auckland Airport and with a week of adventure all over the north island we decided to rent a car (but get a GPS, because it was an extra charge). Not having a GPS and driving in complete darkness (on the left side of the road), our trip to the hotel seemed very long! So, lesson learned: get GPS I forgot to mention my suitcase got lost on our connection transfer in Melbourne. So I spent the better part of the morning trying to find out where it was and how to pick it up since we would be moving locations almost daily while in New Zealand. They finally found my luggage and I worked it out with them to send it to the next hotel we were going to be staying. . That meant I would be out of clothes for a few days.

AUCKLAND/WHANGAREI

Day 2

Our day started with some laundry, so I had something to wear. After that we took off to our first location Whangarei. Keeping up with our tradition of trying different ethnic foods, found an awesome Nepal/Indian restaurant called Olive in Auckland on the way up. We had Indian food countless times before but never Nepalian, so this was a great experience and awesome food.

On our 2 hours’ drive, we learned a few things. First, the highways in New Zealand were very different than I-75 or I-80//90 in Ohio, which resulted in a few detours. But that was no problem for us because we were able to appreciate the New Zealand’s beauty. This was the greenest place I had ever seen In my life, except for Ireland, and it was breathtaking. On our way up we stopped multiple times just to take in the beauty with a highlight for us being Mardsen Point/Whangarei Heads (Mountains right on the water), and the transition of more temperate trees turning into tropical trees by the kilometer as we drove further North. A picture can’t capture the moment, but it was awesome.

WHANGAREI

Night 2/Day 3

What was planned as a long day in Whangarei turned into just a short evening after the luggage issues and slow but breathtaking drive. We got to Whangarei by night to find our gracious hosts at our only AirBnb on the trip waiting for us. They were amazing people! Knowing we were there for just the night they recommended going to downtown Whangeri for food and an amazing walk around their canal/river coming in from the ocean. We spent the rest of the evening enjoying a very educational chit-chat we had with our hosts, learning a lot about New Zealand history, culture, and arts!

AUCKLAND/WHANGAREI

TOP 5, LESSONS LEARNED, TIPS, AND GALLERY

Top 5

Meeting our amazing AirBnb hosts and their gorgeous house-Built into the side of a rock formation!
Trying Nepal food and catching up with the manager and the story of his restaurant – by the way, must go to Nepal now!
Taking in the breathtaking views along the drive North-reoccurring for most of New Zealand
Our gracious hosts at the Holiday Inn Auckland Airport who gave us an amazing room!
The sheep – yes, they are everywhere and are cute!

Lessons Learned and Tips

Get a GPS with your car rental, especially in a foreign country, where you don’t have cellphone service, and where you may drive on the opposite side of the road!
Always talk with your hosts (hotel/airBnb) as they often have great stories with tips and recommendations
Do get a car rental for New Zealand. It is well worth the beauty of traveling, but be prepared for driving on curvy roads, with one lane in each direction, in the rain, on the left side of the road, with all the gorgeous scenery around!
Always split your clothes up when checking a bag on an airline so you have an emergency pair in a carry on just in case your luggage gets lost.
Do try different foods when traveling, as a rule of thumb if you can get it at home or if it’s a national chain consider trying a more unique experience!

ROTORUA, NEW ZEALAND

June 20th-June 22nd, 2018

Lodging

Holiday Inn Rotorua – great location next to the hot springs, and Whakarewarewa Village

Day 1

We got up early and were off to the Shire, on our way we again passed through amazing green countryside that looked more and more like Middle Earth. We arrived at Hobbiton (where they filmed the Shire in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies), and of course it was on a sheep farm! Upon arrival, I saw there was an option to have a meal at the Shire, but they could only fit us in the following day. So, we swapped dates and took off to Rotorua, saving the Shire for another day. Driving into Rotorua, we came upon an amazing Lake with an island in the center (that reminded me of Cater Lake, Oregon). We checked into our hotel and saw all this steam rising in the forest around us only to find out that those are hot springs. We set off to a local hot spring’s spa or the evening. They had multiple springs all with different temperatures and we tried them all, although some longer than others. It was a great way to cap off the start of Rotorua.

ROTORUA

Day 2

We got up early and were off back to Hobbiton where we had a morning tour followed by lunch on the premises. We took a large set bus into the land of hobbits, learning about how Peter Jackson decided upon this little farm and how they built it. Once arriving we were blown away with the scale with over 40 hobbit holes of varying sizes! After walking through the Shire, we capped it off with a hobbit beer at the world-famous Green Dragon Inn and sat down for a cave troll size lunch buffet. We ventured back to Rotorua, which is known as the outdoor tourist activity capital of New Zealand, where we rode a gondola up the side of a hill and races down in go karts (not motored, just powered by gravity). After tiring ourselves out, we headed into town to shop and have dinner. We stumbled upon one of our favorite restaurants ever “The Thai Restaurant”, which I would recommend to anyone.

ROTORUA

Day 3

On our final day in Rotorua we explored the cultural home of the Maori people (Native New Zealanders) at the Whakarewarewa Village. It was an amazing experience as we learned of their history, traditional living style, life on a hot spring, traditional dances, and knowledge of the western influences on their village. At the end of our experience we enjoyed a local Maori meal cooked over the heat of the hot springs. After saying goodbye, we left on our wake to Lake Taupo.

ROTORUA

TOP 5, LESSONS LEARNED, TIPS, AND GALLERY

Top 5

Hobbiton- above and beyond what we expected, even getting to “step in” a few hobbit holes
The Thai Restaurant- an amazing meal that I would go back for
Go Kart Racing- 10x the thrill of go kart racing in the US.
Hot Spring Pools- amazing and relaxing location and way to take in the sunset
Maori Village- awesome cultural experience with a live look into the Maori world.

Lessons Learned and Tips

While we enjoyed our Hot Springs experience, we learned there are free hot springs a little outside of town - so consider those options when on a budget.
If you do decide to go to one of the paying ones, do get the exclusive hot springs additional as it is an awesome experience with a negligible increase in price.
Book your Hobbit tours ahead of time and try to get a dinner onsite, they were booked out for months, so we ended up doing lunch.
Check with your hotel for discounts
Consider staying here longer than two and a half days! Too much to explore

LAKE TAUPO, NEW ZEALAND

June 22nd-June 24th, 2018

Lodging

Hilton Lake Taupo – Great views of the lake, amazing service, excellent breakfast, and great spa!

LAKE TAUPO

Day 1

After another gorgeous drive to Lake Taupo, we arrived in the evening to an even larger lake than at Rotorua. We checked into our Hilton Hotel and took a drive down to the lake and saw around town. There was the famous Huka Falls funneling from the Lake. The rapids would have been great for white water rafting, but due to cold weather, we settled for a view. After that we went into town for a German pub where we tried beer and pretzel!

LAKE TAUPO

Day 2

We got up early again as we had a lot we wanted to do around the Lake. We had an amazing buffet breakfast at the hotel before heading out to Tongariro National Park (where they filmed Mordor) and hiked. The drive went right along the coast of the Lake, winding higher and higher into the Tongariro Mountains. We parked and ventured into the wilderness exploring waterfalls, fields, and forests all under the snowcapped Mount Doom. After that, we headed back to Taupo to catch a boat ride around the Lake. Finding out that the Lake is larger than the whole country of Singapore on our way to an amazing Maori Rock carving.

LAKE TAUPO

Day 3

Set the alarms early and left for our wait to Waitomo for some Hairy Hobbit adventures and black water rafting. Needless to say, that this experience turned into being one of the most exciting and breathtaking experiences we have ever had!

LAKE TAUPO

TOP 5, LESSONS LEARNED, TIPS, AND GALLERY

Top 5

The Lake Front-Taking in the view from hotel, the beach, or on a boat, you cannot go wrong.
Exploring Tongariro National Park and hiking on the isolated trails.
The Hot Tub star gazing at the hotel in the evenings.
Huka Falls-Amazing rapids worth the view
The Maori Rock carving- an amazing feat of art built onto the side of a rock right along the choppy water of the Lake.

Lessons Learned and Tips

Bring warm clothes to New Zealand in the winter - or stop by a local version of their Goodwill for some budget-conscious second-hand coats, hats, and mittens for a few days.
Bring or borrow hiking boots for Tongariro National Park – the trails can be muddy and hilly at times and good shoes will let you hike longer.
Explore getting Hilton Gold Status as they upgraded our room and provided free breakfast every morning.
Some restaurants are very busy and recommend making reservations ahead of time to get in -especially, for the ones with a lake view.
Similar to Rotorua we could have spent more time here exploring and taking more adventures-so consider staying here longer than 2 days.

WAITOMO & AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

une 24th-June 26th, 2018

Lodging

Hilton Auckland – Sits on a pier sticking out into the water, awesome breakfast and views of the harbor

Holiday Inn Auckland Airport – Back again for an easy night before our flight!

WAITOMO

Day 1

We got up early and left Lake Taupo for Hairy Feet to see the filming location of the Hobbit movies. It was an amazing tour walking the routes of the Hobbits in the first Hobbit film. After recreating a few of the film shot we continued our journey to the Otorohanga Kiwi House and Native Bird House, where we trekked around the many native and unique birds of New Zealand. We learned that the kiwi is a nocturnal bird and you can only view them in a completely dark viewing area After that, we went to the Waitomo caves to tube through the caves with the “Legendary Black Water Rafting Co.” We had both rafted before but not in the dark cave, full of glowing worms. Upon entering the caves, we had the chance to climb up skinny pathways in the Labyrinth, climbing up to waterfalls and skimming down a 90-degree wall. This was the path to the river where we jumped in our tubes and traversed the caves by water. When our flashlights were off, we were stricken by a starry night of glow worms that sparkled the vaulted ceilings of the cave. Upon exiting we were getting cold from the glacier temperature water and were warmed up by hot tomato soup and grilled cheese a staple of the caves since the 1981 when my father enjoyed that same tomato soup after exiting his journey. After a long day we finished our drive to Auckland and called it a night.

AUCKLAND

Day 2

We enjoyed our favorite breakfast of the trip and full buffet on top of the Hilton Auckland, overlooking the harbor and downtown. Upon finishing breakfast, we set sail on a day boat to Waiheke Island known as the Wine capital of New Zealand for a day of hopping from Winery to Winery trying a variety of wines. After we had more than our fill to drink, we took the last ferry of the day back to the city for an amazing Thai dinner (I know we have a thing for Thai food) and a ride to the top of the Auckland Skytower for a view of the city by night.

AUCKLAND

Day 3

Our journey to New Zealand and Middle Earth came to a close after another amazing stay at the Holiday Inn Auckland Airport where our trip began. We returned our vehicle and said goodbye as we jumped on a plane to Apia, Samoa.

WAITOMO & AUCKLAND

TOP 5, LESSONS LEARNED, TIPS, AND GALLERY

Top 5

Black Water Rafting-This is one of the top experiences of my life and a thrilling way to explore the glow worm caves of Waitomo
Hairy Feet trek- walking the path to the Lonely Mountain from the first Hobbit film
The Kiwi House and Native Bird House- Awesome way to see the many birds of New Zealand.
Breakfast at the Hilton Auckland buffet-taking in the morning view over an awesome buffet.
Taking in the awesome scenery along our final few days of driving the amazing New Zealand countryside.

Lessons Learned and Tips

Before spending a day at an island filled with wineries make sure that you enjoy drinking wine…
When going to black water rafting call about which time slots have the least amount of people as it created a more intimate and exclusive tour with only us and another couple, as compared to the group before that had over 18 people in it.
Purchase the photos from Black water rafting as they are well worth it and include professional photos of the caves as well.
If you are out all day and will only get to a city where you are sleeping late at night, consider staying at a cheaper lodging option and save the luxurious hotels for when you can utilize the facilities and benefits for a whole day.
For LOTR fans research all the places on the North and South Island as it is easy to fit them into your journey especially when driving.

APIA, SAMOA & NADI, FIJI

June 26th-June 30th, 2018

Lodging

Sheraton Samoa Beach Resort – Beautiful Beaches, amazing people, peaceful, and close to the airport.

Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa – World class resort, great entertainment, and location.

SAMOA

Day 1

We had a rather short stay in Samoa - only 24 hours. At the airport, we enjoyed a local band playing guitar and ukulele, singing soothing songs to welcome passengers to Samoa. After journeying, all over New Zealand and bouncing around Australia, we needed a day at the beach. So, we went straight to the Sheraton Samoa Beach Resort (only a few miles from the Airport). The hotel was gorgeous right on the beach where the sand was as white as pearls and the waters were as silky smooth and heated like a warm glass of milk. We spent the day relaxing, swimming, and drinking. That evening we capped the day off with a buffet and traditional Samoa dance off, while watching the sunset and star gazing.

SAMOA & FIJI

Day 2

We spent the morning enjoying the relaxing mood of the resort as we packed up for our short flight to Nadi, Fiji. Upon arriving we grabbed a rental car and set off for the Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa. Upon arriving they lived up to their name right away taking us to our room in a golf cart. We decided to take a relaxing evening.

FIJI

Day 3

We slept in and decided to explore the resort where we found they did free scuba diving lessons in the pool. This would have been useful before scuba diving on the reef but I could not pass up the opportunity to practice and get in the water again. After Scuba diving we journeyed over to the local ocean inlet to watch a fish feeding before taking a horseback ride to the local village and around the area. It was a great way to see life outside the resort.

FIJI

Day 4

We got up early for a day adventure to canoe up the Navua River. It involved a 2-hour bus ride around the coast to the town of Navua where we took a boat ride up stream to the Jewell of Fiji Waterfall where we same up to an amazing waterfall. After exploring around the area, we took a bamboo raft downstream to a local village where we learned about the way of life of Fijian people. Sharing their dancing, school life, food, and homes with us. It was an amazing experience and very humbling. After saying goodbye, we headed back for the evening at the resort.

FIJI

Day 5

Our final day abroad was upon us and we decided to make the most of it and get up early to take some kayaks out in the ocean, it was choppy waters but an awesome view back at the resort from a different perspective. After coming back and drying off, we left back for Nadi with one last stop at the Garden of the Sleeping Giant. A lush outdoor conservatory of flowers north of Nadi. With that we boarded our plane back to the states.

SAMOA AND FIJI

TOP 5, LESSONS LEARNED, TIPS, AND GALLERY

Top 5

Relaxing on the white sands of Samoa and swimming in the warm waters of the ocean.
Swimming at the Jewel of Fiji Waterfall- an awesome experience swimming under the waterfall up the river where the Anaconda Movie was filmed.
Spending they day at the local village on the Navua river- learning about their traditions
Horseback riding on the Fiji Coast- amazing way to see the land and sea.
Kayaking along the coast of Fiji.

Lessons Learned and Tips

In Fiji everything runs on “Fiji Time” as in you’re never early or late, this can be tricky when planning on meeting someone on the island.
Step outside of the resorts to and go exploring as it is a great way to really see the life of Fiji and Samoa.
Before going to resorts that are along the ocean, consider contacting the hotel to request a room with a view, they sometimes may be courteous with an ocean view upgrade.
When arriving and looking for a ride to the hotel, know how far you need to go for negotiating a price in a cab. Don’t accept the first offer you receive.
Invest in a chamois towel as it come in handy multiple times as a way to quickly dry off without carrying around a larger towel.

SAMOA AND FIJI

TOP 5, LESSONS LEARNED, TIPS, AND GALLERY

Top 5

Relaxing on the white sands of Samoa and swimming in the warm waters of the ocean.
Swimming at the Jewel of Fiji Waterfall- an awesome experience swimming under the waterfall up the river where the Anaconda Movie was filmed.
Spending they day at the local village on the Navua river- learning about their traditions
Horseback riding on the Fiji Coast- amazing way to see the land and sea.
Kayaking along the coast of Fiji.

Lessons Learned and Tips

In Fiji everything runs on “Fiji Time” as in you’re never early or late, this can be tricky when planning on meeting someone on the island.
Step outside of the resorts to and go exploring as it is a great way to really see the life of Fiji and Samoa.
Before going to resorts that are along the ocean, consider contacting the hotel to request a room with a view, they sometimes may be courteous with an ocean view upgrade.
When arriving and looking for a ride to the hotel, know how far you need to go for negotiating a price in a cab. Don’t accept the first offer you receive.
Invest in a chamois towel as it come in handy multiple times as a way to quickly dry off
without carrying around a larger towel.

LOS ANGELES AND CHICAGO

With our journey coming to an end in Chicago, we decided to spend the day meeting our good friends at Manhattan Beach and a cultural night with our Persian friends who treated us to lavish dinner at a Persian restaurant, filled with dancing, drinking, and dining.

The following day we set off again to Chicago for our final stop before coming home to meet my father and stay at the awesome Intercontinental Chicago before driving back to Ohio. Overall it was amazing experience and Journey and one we can never forget. It opened our eyes to the world around us and expanded our craving for more travel!

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